jim,how could you be so wrong?what are you teaching the readers on this forum?when a newby reads this he is learning nothing but to lie.... hardy,har,har,har....jim just jokin with ya man, but im sure someone will come after you on that one....i myself have never done it turkey hunting, but i have made some fake rubs & scrapes to get this dood to quit bowhunting around me once(it works like a charm)& if the strategy is ever needed while turkey hunting dont think i wont use it[:D]

Cut N Run, sounds like you been hunting around me. do to same thing puck up eventhing. keep the land clean and you get to come back. Plus I don't wnat other to know what is on the farm, Make them come out and listen early just like the rest of us. Most farms I hunt are for me only. But yuo know the slick one will come in no matter what when they hear a gobbler talking...Good,safe hunting

that could happen, but it didnt in this case.what we did to this guy was hilarious! he kept huntin it & we kept it fresh...we saw that big buck a couple of times, just never could get a shot[8|]...we always passed thru during the week he hunted weekends,we never have told him...but i have told some guys about fishin holes that has cost me money [:@]

TC
It is funny how things turn around now blinds,turkey calls and dogs are legal and I never knew anybody that used any of these methods with the exception of turkey calls to hunt them. There weren't enough birds to bother with at that time to gain interest further more pheasents grouse and in some areas quail, rabbits,squrrille were in abundance and that kept the small game hunters buisy. In refference to dogs the rabbit hunters would get into birds occassionally also the grouse hunters but nobody had turkey dogs. Most turkeys were killed by accident not by intentional hunting.One thing you can't get through the Game Commissions head is to stop the use of rifles in the fall season they don't want to hear it and it is dangerous. Another thing you won't hear from the Game Commisson is that hunters sparked the return of turkeys to Pa. by buying and releaseing and keeping feeders operational through the harsh winters,this was funded by the hunters. Clubs were formed and the individuals carried out these tasks. It was a rule of thumb to stock turkeys the weekend the season ended and to put the birds in the areas where you knew there were wild birds,contrary to what some people might say this worked. It is not necessary today but when we had nothing we had to start somewhere and had nothing to lose.The Game Commission had no turkey program to speak of until the NWTF got involved
Now they boast trap and transfer and so on you would think the invented turkey hunting.However at this time we have a great program a top notch biologist and some good programs under way. Yall are welcome to come up and give it a try sometime I'am sure the gohst would go also without any arm twisting.
Turkeybuster

Although Pennsylvania made serious mistakes by relying on game farm turkeys for too long, I would be surprised to find that they did not go to trap and transfer when the NWTF was not even a figment of someone's imagination. I wish it was still a figment.

Although Pennsylvania made serious mistakes by relying on game farm turkeys for too long, I would be surprised to find that they did not go to trap and transfer when the NWTF was not even a figment of someone's imagination. I wish it was still a figment.

First, well said turkeybuster. Since I cut my teeth on turkey hunting in PA I should know a lot more on the history and names involved in the programs. I do know talking with Wayne Bailey a few years back he was an adviser to a couple projects.

TC, thanks for the post. The only thing negative is that my grandfather may have been a poacher. I know he was also into grouse and some small game hunting and did have a couple hunts out of State somewhere down south.

Silvestris you are correct that PA did have trap and transfer before the NWTF. I know in the early 60's my grandfather helped out on a couple of those projects. Not sure of the names involved, would need to look back though my library to dig it out.

Hi Gohst
You are right about the trap and transfere program starting in the 60's and it was another step in the right direction however being new to this it was mostly a blunder at best. Turkeys were not only trapped in the northern part of the state but attemps were made to trap birds that were established by the sportsman with no help from the game Commission that is where the trouble started. To add fuel to a volitale situation it was disclosed that the state was selling and swapping our birds to other states thus takeing birds away from a unstable population in Pa. This is when trapping nets were being cut and the sites destroyed. The turkey hunting we have today did not come easy in this state and the Commission can paint the wagon any color they want to but even today without the money, equiptment and volunteer work put forth by the local NWTF chapters and their volunteers we would still be back in the 70's. I can't speak for other states but I know what the Pa. chapters do and they are very active. All I'am saying is without the guidence from the NWTF their trapping and managment program for turkeys would be comparitable to the deer program non existent at best! I wouldn't worry about your grandfather being a pocher I remember a incident in the valley where a person was reported for killing a bird out of season and when the officers went to his house the bird was on the table,there was also five hungry kids sitting around the table the officers took a look at the situation gave the man a verbal warning and left! Iam sure you remember those days when wild game was food for the family and also a enjoyable part of our lives.
Turkeybuster

TB, thanks again for the info. I left the State of PA in 69 and only gone back to hunt it now and then and visit relatives. Feel guilty at times for not knowking more about the history of the wild turkey in my home state.

Hope to met up with you one day and exchange turkey talk. I missed the sportsman show this year (heard it was a little slow), but got my permit for Indian Town Gap. Hopefully the last week of the season I may be able to make it.